I must have dreamt about that kiss all night. I wake with the memory still fresh on my lips and drift slowly to the kitchen having forgotten my school tie. Mom is heating miso and rice for breakfast. She looks at me, smiles and hands me a cup of tea. "I take it your date went well last night?"

I take a sip. "Actually, it was horrible."

"Really? Then why the goofy smile?"

I start to wipe the smile from my face, but I don't want to touch my lips. The only thing I want to touch my lips from now on is Kyoko, but I take another sip. "Well, it ended pretty well."

"Did you make Kyoko-chan happy?"

The memory of her warm soft shape in my arms rushes back. I'm certain I dreamt about her all night, but the dreams and memories have blurred together and I'm not entirely sure where one leaves off and the other begins. It doesn't seem possible that either one can be real. I remember my mom has asked a question. "Yes. I think so."

The doorbell rings and Mom leaves to answer it. "Oh! Kyoko-chan. What a pleasant surprise."

Kyoko's voice floats in from the entrance and everything inside me flips over in slow motion. "I hope you don't mind. I wanted to walk to school with Michi-kun so I asked my mom to drop me off."

"You're always welcome. Please, come in."

"Excuse me."

My feet are moving toward the door. I have to remind myself not to run. She had just removed her shoes and steps up into the house, every move a lesson in grace. Seeing me, she gives a small bow and looks up with a shy smile. "Ohayou gozaimasu, Michi-kun."

I gasp out, "Ohayou."

She stands, hands clasped together before her short plaid skirt, her school uniform clean and pressed as if she were wearing it for the first time. The carefully sculpted waves of her light-auburn-dyed hair cascade over the shoulders of her school blazer. She is so fresh and beautiful. How can she be my she?

Mom breaks the long silence. "Would you like something to eat?"

"Thank you, but I've already eaten."

I bolt down some food while mom and Kyoko chat. I snatch my school things and we're out the door. Kyoko walks beside me, takes my hand and holds it. I swallow my nerves and remind myself we're a couple.

She turns sparkling eyes at me. "It's a lovely day isn't it?"

I look up. I hadn't really noticed, but it's a bright clear day and warm for late September. "Yes. It is." I can't stop snatching looks at her.

She notices and looks away blushing as if she isn't used to the attention, but when passing classmates call out to us, laughing, "Hey you two! Enough flirting in public!" she laughs like it's the funniest thing she's ever heard.

Embarrassed, I instinctively try to jerk my hand from hers, but she grips mine too tightly. I can't get away without hurting her. I keep my head down, worrying that others might think I'm flaunting my beautiful girlfriend.

Having left early, we take our time strolling to school, while hundreds of students stream past. We are just nearing Atarachi when I hear familiar taunting voices.

"Hey toilet girl, I hear you're a dirty girl. Want to do some dirty things with us?"

It's the same group of guys who Kyoko and I had passed the day we first started dating and the same thugs that had harassed Shizuku the day I followed her to...well, the day I followed her. Their loud-mouthed leader, who was squatting on the low wall beside the stairs, hops down in front of Shizuku, blocking the entrance. His yanki friends move in and surround her like wolves.

Dangerous! a voice in the back of my head shouts. I stop walking. My body grows tense as if it were preparing to do something on its own.

I don't know if she can use her powers on a living human or not, so I can't guess who, but someone is about to get very hurt. If she can't use her powers, it might well be her.

Kyoko gives me a worried look, but I don't think she's worried about Shizuku.

The loud-mouthed bleach-haired guy steps up in Shizuku's face, forcing her a step back.

She bumps up against the tall scraggly-haired guy who is blocking her retreat.

"Come on, dirty girl. Surely you don't think you're too good for us, ne?"

"Ow!" Kyoko shoots me a hurt look and I realize I am squeezing her hand too hard.

"Sorry." I let go and look back at Shizuku.

She tries to step around bleach-head but he backs her up against the wall. With one hand braced against the bricks, he leans close, his arm cutting off her escape. Her eyes are wide and puzzled...or is that fear? It's certainly a very human expression

Everyone pauses in one of those split-second moments before acting. "Stay here," I mutter to Kyoko and her back with one hand while stepping forward. I don't know yet what I'm going to do, but I have to try something.

"Oi! Leave her alone!" Kurosawa marches up behind us. A group of first- year boys, friends of his, stand in a nervous clump behind. "If you have to push a girl around just to get her attention, that's just really lame."

Scraggly-hair looks over his shoulder. "Huh?"

Another of the toughs, whose hair is done up in corn rows, follows his gaze. "Isn't he a first- year?"

Bleach-head glares at Kurosawa. "You think you're pretty cool, don't you first-year?"

I step up behind him, ready to offer my support.

Kurosawa doesn't notice, nor does he flinch. "At least I don't have to beg to get a girl's attention."

I'd smile at the irony if I weren't so frightened. Kurosawa pretty much has begged for Shizuku's attention. Other students arriving at school,pause to watch. It starts to grow crowded.

Bleach-head looks around uncomfortably, suddenly noticing them. "Eh, I wouldn't dirty myself with someone like toilet girl. I'll leave her to scum like you." He signals his cronies with a jerk of his head and walks away. They follow, sweeping the crowd with narrow-eyed glares.

Kurosawa also looks around and seems surprised to find me behind him. Kyoko slips up and takes my hand in both of hers. Kurosawa approaches Shizuku. "Are you OK?"

Shizuku nods.

"That was dangerous. Let me walk you to class."

"OK."

Kyoko leans over my shoulder watching them. "Weird."

The two of them walk inside the school together. This can't be what it looks like.

"Yeah."